Pantry Coordinator

Do you have a passion for helping others and making a difference in your community? We're looking for a dynamic, motivated Food Pantry Coordinator to manage food distribution, assist with the noon lunch program, and oversee essential commodity programs. You'll be the heart of our food services, ensuring smooth operations, managing inventory, building relationships with donors, and helping us serve those in need with care and compassion.

This position has an anticipated start date of February 2025.

The position offers a generous benefits package that includes paid time off that includes 10 days of vacation per year, 12 sick days per year (4 of which can be taken like vacation days), 12 paid holidays, 2 personal days, and the ability to earn an additional 2 days of PTO through our wellness program. The Salvation Army also contributes generously to a pension on your behalf, and offers voluntary life insurance, as well as a variety of other great benefits. We invest in you as an employee and provide paid training and professional development opportunities and are looking for someone who wants to grow and develop with an organization that makes a difference in our community.

The Salvation Army Mission:

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Job Objective:

Responsible for coordinating pantry, assisting with the noon lunch program, and commodity programs including inventory and paperwork, coordinating food drives with the Director of Social Services, and serving as liaison for food and safety practices.

Essential Functions:

This job description should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirements of the position. Other job related responsibilities and tasks may be assigned. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Food Pantry & Commodity Programs:

• Oversees pantry operations (including commodities), ensuring food is ready for distribution, maintaining complete inventory of food products; supervises volunteers assigned to the pantry, completes related reports, and cooperates with the commodity program site visit process.
• Prepares invoices for pantry program for supplies and needed food purchases.
• Explores options and make recommendations for most cost-effective methods to obtain food and supplies. Maintains good working relationships with vendors and donors.
• Tracks and records statistics for pantry and commodity program. Provides monthly statistics to as directed.
• Participates in seasonal activities/special events as requested by the Director of Social Services and/or Corps Officer.

Food Services:

• Plans, coordinates, and monitors the work within all of the Food Services programs. Ensures compliance to TSA and Department policies and procedures. Provides support and encouragement to volunteers and senior aides in the noon feeding and pantry programs.
• Assists in planning, preparing and serving well-balanced meals in the noon lunch program. Instructs senior aides and volunteers assisting with the meals.
• Provides input into and manages annual budgets. Maintains spending accountability for food service programs.
• Enforces and maintains all health codes, county licensure of the kitchen, government commodity, and other food handling requirements
• Puts away, properly stores, and labels all food and supplies in the kitchen and pantry areas, and cleans and maintains kitchen equipment.
• Manages lunchroom during all program times, and appropriately responds to client behavior as needed.
• Displays respect for all clients. As needed, intervenes to de-escalate crisis situations that may arise in the kitchen and lunchroom area.
• Coordinates schedule with Food Services Staff-Noon Lunch Program Person, so there is always coverage available Monday through Friday. Provides full coverage of Food Services Staff-Noon Lunch Program Person duties during vacations and other absences.
• Fulfills (or coordinates fulfilling of) food and beverage requests for meetings and special events.
• Maintains and updates Food Services notices to inform clients of special events and other information as appropriate.
• Prepares, set ups, transports, and cleans up all necessary food and supplies for on or offsite programs or events related to food drives or seasonal/special events.
• Attends and participates in Food and Hunger Network events, serves as the secondary contact for Feeding America program for ordering and reporting.

Minimum Qualifications:

The requirements listed below are representative of the minimal education, experience, skills, and/or abilities required for this position.

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

Experience: 3 years experience in food services working with large groups and inventory management.

- OR -

Any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Certifications: ServSafe Certification which must be obtained within 60 days of hire.

Must possess valid Wisconsin Driver's license with clearance to drive from The Salvation Army's insurance carrier.

Skills/Abilities:

• Skilled in the use of commercial kitchen equipment and utensils.

Knowledge of:

• Knowledge of menu planning and food preparation.
• De-escalation and crisis intervention techniques.
• Basic supervision skills to be able to direct volunteers and senior aides.
• Computer applications related to the work including strong skills in Microsoft Office
• Record keeping principles and practices.
• Techniques for dealing with a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, in person and over the phone.
• The Salvation Army's Safe from Harm program for adults and children.

Ability to:

• Provide service to individuals in a kind and caring manner.
• Be flexible with scheduling to be available during non-traditional work hours.
• Ability to work within budgets, and provide input in the budgeting process.
• Adhere to appropriate boundaries and ethics.
• Maintain confidentiality of information.
• Prepare clear and concise reports and other written materials.
• Use initiative and judgment within established procedural guidelines; organize own work, set priorities and stay on schedule.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to speak, write and understand English in a manner sufficient for effective communication with leadership and field personnel.

Supervisory Responsibility: N/A

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the duties of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific visions abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Employee must have reliable transportation to move about service area and between Salvation Army locations.

Uses a variety of office equipment including a computer, telephone, fax machine, copier and printer. Also uses a variety of large kitchen equipment in the preparation of meals including stove, ovens, dishwasher.

Travel: Employee may be required to travel between Salvation Army locations.

Working Conditions:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Much of this job is performed in a kitchen environment, where temperatures may get very warm while working with stoves and fryers. Exposure to colder temperatures will be common with the use of freezers and coolers.

At times this job may be asked to work at outdoor events where the employee may be exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

At times the duties will involve working with individuals having infectious and/or communicable diseases.

The Salvation Army is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates who are back-to-work, US Veterans, people with disabilities, people who have been impacted by the justice system, and/or people without a college degree are encouraged to apply.

All employees recognize that The Salvation Army is a church and agree that as an employee of The Salvation Army they will support its religious mission.